Search this site

Bin Hammam's further complaints against FIFA procedures.

"Temporarily suspended" FIFA Executive Committee member and president of the Asian Football Confederation, Mohamed Bin Hammam, has issued a further complaint against FIFA procedures.

In a letter to FIFA sent this morning, Bin Hammam protested against his treatment by the FIFA Ethics Committee and the FIFA administration. Despite his explicit written request, he claims he was not provided with the motivated decision of his suspension in due course and he was not able to file his appeal and was denied his last opportunity to get access to the FIFA congress.

In a statement sent to Asian Football Business Review, Bin Hammam said his letter stated 10 points which demonstrate "very clearly" that he is not getting a fair proceeding.

According to his statement:

"Most importantly, there is absolutely no justification for a suspension. The suspension is not necessary to conduct the investigation but constituted a grave violation of his reputation and created substantial damage without any necessity. Mohamed Bin Hammam repeated: 'I was punished before I was found guilty.'

"There are reasons to believe that the suspension was a solitary decision of the Chairman and not the Ethics Committee. A solitary decision of the Chairman is only possible in emergency situations, which was absolutely not the case here. The panel of the Ethics Committee was fully present.

"Mohamed Bin Hammam does not understand why the Ethics Committee found the statements of the sole eyewitness truthful when it came to the allegations made against him but disregarded the written statements of 12 CFU officials in his favour.

"The behaviour of the FIFA General Secretary at the media conference on Sunday evening was absolutely unacceptable and against all principles of justice. Sitting next to the Chairman of the independent Ethics Committee, he abused the event to voice his personal opinions and to comment on the results.

"Because of this very unfair treatment, Mohamed Bin Hammam reserves all his rights, against this unprofessional and one-sided attitude, with the judicial bodies of FIFA and beyond."

Bin Hammam said he is "very sad and disappointed over what has happened in the last days. I will never accept how my name and my reputation have been damaged. I will fight for my rights. I thank all the people who have supported me during the last weeks and will support me further. Good days bring you happiness, bad days bring you experience.”